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for we all journey from birth pangs to the tomb. βʹ. "Blessed are they who search out His testimonies; with their whole heart they will seek Him." And in interpreting the eighteenth psalm we have said in what law differs from testimonies, and ordinances, and judgments, and commandments; but nevertheless we shall recall in summary what has been said. He calls law that which was given by the God of all through the divine Moses. And again, commandments and precepts, the same thing, as having been royally commanded and ordained. Ordinances, as able to justify the one who does right. And judgments as indicating the divine decrees, and the worthy recompenses both of those living lawfully and unlawfully. And testimonies, as testifying against, and showing, to what punishments the transgressors will be subjected. Therefore he here too blesses those who continually search out the testimonies of God, and with their whole heart seek God; this is not for everyone, but for him who has attained the very summit of virtue. For such a one does not divide his thought between God and the cares of life, but dedicates his whole self to God. γʹ. "For those who work iniquity have not walked in His ways." He made this division also in the first psalm. For there too, after blessing the one who meditates on the law of the Lord day and night, and showing the fruit of his meditation, he added: "Not so the wicked, not so." And here therefore, having blessed the blameless, he teaches that the workers of iniquity have constructed another path for themselves, and have abandoned the one established by God. δʹ. "You have commanded your commandments, to be kept diligently." This the Master commands both through the law, and through the prophets, and through the holy Gospels; and all of Holy 80.1824 Scripture is full of such legislation. For he does not enjoin to keep them simply, but to keep them diligently; that is, with all exactness. εʹ. "O that my ways might be directed to keep your ordinances." For this reason, he says, I beseech you to direct my path by your law as by some rule, so that I might keep your ordinances. And showing the fruit of this, he adds: ʹ. "Then I shall not be ashamed, when I have respect to all your commandments." For shame is the fruit of lawlessness. So also the divine Apostle said, "What fruit did you have then in the things of which you are now ashamed?" But those who fulfill all God's commandments have confidence from their conscience. ζʹ. "I will praise you with an upright heart, when I have learned the judgments of your righteousness." He calls praise thanksgiving. Then, he says, I will be able to offer a pure hymn, when I have learned all your judgments, and have lived according to them. ηʹ. "I will keep your ordinances; do not forsake me utterly." Often the divine grace leaves some for a short time, contriving a benefit for them from this. Thus the great Elias, being overcome, fell into the passion of cowardice, and learned the weakness of human nature; but immediately again he enjoyed the divine grace. Thus the divine Peter slipped when he denied; but immediately the Master supported him. But Judas, having become completely bare of divine providence, became a ready prey for the enemy; the blessed David was also forsaken after that sin, and he fell into those grievous misfortunes; but again he received confidence toward God, and enjoyed His care from then on. But Saul, having become completely bereft of this, was stripped of the grace of the spirit, and was yoked to an evil spirit. With good reason, therefore, the Prophet pleads not to be forsaken utterly, that is, not to be stripped completely of providing grace. θʹ. "By what means shall a young man correct his way? By keeping your words." Youth is changeable, and quick to turn to evil. For it is overwhelmed by various waves of passions; therefore it needs one to guide its feet, directing it to the harbors. This is characteristic of the divine oracles. For these, of the contrary ways

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γὰρ ἐξ ὠδίνων μέχρι τα φῆς διοδεύομεν ἅπαντες. βʹ. "Μακάριοι οἱ ἐξερευνῶντες τὰ μαρτύρια αὐτοῦ, ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ ἐκζητήσουσιν αὐτόν." Καὶ τὸν ὄγδοον καὶ δέκατον ψαλμὸν ἑρμηνεύοντες εἰ ρήκαμεν τίνι διαφέρει νόμος, καὶ μαρτύρια, καὶ δι καιώματα, καὶ κρίματα, καὶ ἐντολαί· ἀναμνήσομεν δὲ ὅμως ἐν κεφαλαίῳ τῶν εἰρημένων. Νόμον καλεῖ, τὸν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ τῶν ὅλων διὰ τοῦ θεσπεσίου Μωσοῦ δεδομένον. Ἐντολὰς δὲ καὶ προστάγματα πάλιν τὸν αὐτὸν, ὡς βασιλικῶς ἐνταλθέντα καὶ προσταχθέντα. ∆ικαιώματα, ὡς δικαιοῦν τὸν κατορθοῦντα δυ νάμενον. Κρίματα δὲ ὡς τὰς θείας ψήφους ὑπο δεικνύντα, καὶ τὰς ἀξίας ἀντιδόσεις τῶν τε ἐννόμως καὶ παρανόμως βιούντων. Μαρτύρια δὲ, ὡς διαμαρ τυρόμενον, καὶ δεικνύντα, οἵαις ὑποβληθήσονται τιμωρίαις οἱ παραβαίνοντες. Μακαρίζει τοίνυν καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοὺς τὰ μαρτύρια τοῦ Θεοῦ διηνεκῶς ἐρευ νῶντας, καὶ ἐν ὅλῃ καρδίᾳ τὸν Θεὸν ἐκζητοῦντας· οὐ παντὸς δὲ τοῦτο, ἀλλὰ τοῦ τὴν κορυφὴν αὐτὴν κατ ειληφότος τῆς ἀρετῆς. Ὁ γὰρ τοιοῦτος οὐ μερίζει τὴν διάνοιαν εἰς, Θεὸν καὶ φροντίδας βιωτικὰς, ἀλλὰ ὅλον ἑαυτὸν ἀνατίθησι τῷ Θεῷ. γʹ. "Οὐ γὰρ οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν ἀνομίαν, ἐν ταῖς ὁδοῖς αὐτοῦ ἐπορεύθησαν." Τὴν διαίρεσιν ταύ την πεποίηκε καὶ ἐν τῷ πρώτῳ ψαλμῷ. Καὶ γὰρ ἐκεῖ μακαρίσας τὸν ἐν νόμῳ Κυρίου μελετῶντα ἡμέρας καὶ νύκτας, καὶ τὸν τῆς μελέτης ἐπιδείξας καρπὸν, ἐπήγαγεν· "Οὐχ οὕτως οἱ ἀσεβεῖς, οὐχ οὕ τως." Καὶ ἐνταῦθα τοίνυν μακαρίσας τοὺς ἀμώ μους, διδάσκει, ὡς οἱ τῆς ἀνομίας ἐργάται ἑτέραν ἑαυτοῖς ὁδὸν κατεσκεύασαν, καὶ τὴν ὑπὸ τοῦ Θεοῦ παγεῖσαν κατέλιπον. δʹ. "Σὺ ἐνετείλω τὰς ἐντολάς σου, τοῦ φυλάξα σθαι σφόδρα." Τοῦτο καὶ διὰ τοῦ νόμου, καὶ διὰ τῶν προφητῶν, καὶ διὰ τῶν ἱερῶν Εὐαγγελίων ὁ ∆εσπότης παρακελεύεται· καὶ μεστὴ πᾶσα ἡ θεία 80.1824 Γραφὴ τῆς τοιαύτης νομοθεσίας. Οὐ γὰρ ἁπλῶς φυ λάττειν, ἀλλὰ σφόδρα φυλάττειν παρεγγυᾷ· τού τεστι, σὺν ἀκριβείᾳ πάσῃ. εʹ. "Ὄφελον κατευθυνθείησαν αἱ ὁδοί μου, τοῦ φυλάξασθαι τὰ δικαιώματά σου." ∆ιὰ τοῦτο, φη σὶν, ἀντιβολῶ, οἷόν τινι κανόνι, τῷ σῷ νόμῳ τὴν ἐμὴν ὁδὸν εὐθῦναι, ὡς ἂν διατηρήσαιμί σου τὰ δικαιώματα. Καὶ δεικνὺς τὸν τούτου καρπὸν, ἐπι φέρει· ʹ. "Τότε οὐ μὴ αἰσχυνθῶ, ἐν τῷ μὲν ἐπιβλέπειν ἐπὶ πάσας τὰς ἐντολάς σου." Παρανομίας γὰρ αἰ σχύνη καρπός. Οὕτω καὶ ὁ θεῖος Ἀπόστολος ἔφη, "Τίνα οὖν καρπὸν εἴχετε τότε ἐφ' οἷς νῦν ἐπ αισχύνεσθε;" Οἱ δὲ πάσας τοῦ Θεοῦ πληροῦντες τὰς ἐντολὰς, τὴν ἀπὸ τοῦ συνειδότος ἔχουσι παῤῥησίαν. ζʹ. "Ἐξομολογήσομαί σοι ἐν εὐθύτητι καρδίας, ἐν τῷ μεμαθηκέναι με τὰ κρίματα τῆς δικαιοσύνης σου." Ἐξομολόγησιν τὴν εὐχαριστίαν καλεῖ. Τότε, φησὶ, δυνήσομαι ὕμνον καθαρὸν προσενεγκεῖν, ὅταν σου πάντα καταμάθω τὰ κρίματα, καὶ κατ' αὐτὰ βιώσω. ηʹ. "Τὰ δικαιώματά σου φυλάξω· μή με ἐγκατα λίπῃς ἕως σφόδρα." Τινὰς πρὸς βραχὺ πολλάκις ἡ θεία χάρις ἀφίησιν, ὠφέλειαν αὐτοῖς ἐντεῦθεν μη χανωμένη. Οὕτως ὁ μέγας Ἡλίας καταληφθεὶς τῷ τῆς δειλίας περιέπεσε πάθει, καὶ τῆς ἀνθρωπείας φύσεως μεμάθηκε τὴν ἀσθένειαν· ἀλλ' εὐθὺς πάλιν τῆς θείας ἀπήλαυσε χάριτος. Οὕτως ὁ θεῖος Πέτρος ἀρνηθεὶς ὠλίσθησεν· ἀλλ' εὐθὺς αὐτὸν ὁ ∆εσπότης ὑπήρεισε. Γυμνὸς δὲ πάμπαν ὁ Ἰούδας τῆς θείας γε νόμενος προμηθείας, ἕτοιμον ἐγένετο θήραμα τοῦ δυσμενοῦς· ἐγκατελείφθη καὶ ὁ μακάριος ∆αβὶδ μετὰ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν ἐκείνην, καὶ ταῖς χαλεπαῖς ἐκείναις περιέπεσε συμφοραῖς· ἀλλὰ πάλιν τὴν πρὸς τὸν Θεὸν ἀπέλαβε παῤῥησίαν, καὶ τῆς ἐκεῖθεν κηδεμονίας ἀπήλαυσεν. Ὁ δὲ Σαοὺλ ἔρημος ταύτης γενόμενος παντελῶς, ἐγυμνώθη μὲν τῆς τοῦ πνεύ ματος χάριτος, πονηρῷ δὲ πνεύματι συνεζύγη. Εἰ κότως τοίνυν ὁ Προφήτης ἱκετεύει μὴ ἐγκαταλειφθῆ ναι ἕως σφόδρα, τουτέστι, μὴ παντάπασι τῆς προ μηθουμένης χάριτος γυμνωθῆναι. θʹ. "Ἐν τίνι κατορθώσει νεώτερος τὴν ὁδὸν αὑτοῦ· Ἐν τῷ φυλάξασθαι τοὺς λόγους σου." Εὐρί πιστος ἡ νεότης, καὶ πρὸς κακίαν ὀξύῤῥοπος. ∆ια φόροις γὰρ παθημάτων περικλύζεται κύμασι· δεῖται τοίνυν τοῦ ποδηγοῦντος πρὸς τοὺς λιμένας εὐθύ νοντος. Τοῦτο δὲ τῶν θείων λογίων ἴδιον. Ταῦτα γὰρ τῶν ἐναντίων ὁδῶν